Only when Catholics grasp that the Church’s unity, holiness, catholicity and apostolicity are under attack by the Church’s current leadership will they be able to respond to the present ecclesial crisis and find positive solutions to it.

This was the thrust of a significant talk given today by Capuchin Father Thomas Weinandy, a member of the Vatican’s International Theological Commission and former chief of staff for the U.S. Bishops' committee on doctrine (see the full text below).

Each of the four marks, he said, must be properly conceived and articulated together, and are most fully expressed and nurtured within the Eucharistic liturgy. To underline their significance, he drew on St. Ignatius of Antioch’s seven letters, Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, and Pope St. John Paul II’s 2003 encyclical on the Eucharist, Ecclesia de Eucharistia.

Father Weinandy, who criticized the current pontificate as causing “chronic confusion” in an open letter to Pope Francis last year, said these “four defining ecclesial marks are presently at risk” and the threat is coming, not from Catholic theologians, but “even and regrettably from within Church leadership.”

He therefore believes a “robust defense and clear advocacy” of the four marks is necessary otherwise the Church’s identity “will become disordered” and thus “enfeeble” her ability to proclaim the Gospel. This will not only “cause scandal” but “more importantly, demean the Eucharistic liturgy as the supreme enactment” of the four marks.

Father Weinandy drew first on 2nd century St. Ignatius of Antioch because he believes him to be, among having other attributes, “the most prophetically advanced” of the Church’s theologians and with his “seven letters” developed an ecclesiology that “embodied the four ecclesial marks.”

Most significant, he said, is St. Ignatius’ emphasis on unity which, for the saint, is the Church’s “supreme present expression” and definitive goal, with its source coming from faith. St. Ignatius emphasized the importance of unity with the bishop, which means unity with the Church and so with Jesus and His Father. Such unity, Father Weinandy observed, “empowers Christians to perform the deeds of holiness” and accomplish “acts of love.”

For St. Ignatius, this ecclesial oneness, he continued, is expressed and enacted within the Eucharist which “supremely embodies” and actualizes most fully the four marks. Therefore only those in a state of grace and “co-joined to the Church” can participate in this “supreme sacrament of faith” and heretics who reject the four marks “render themselves incapable of receiving Jesus in communion.”

With all this in mind, Father Weinandy said that for Ignatius heresy is “fundamentally destructive” as it “destroys the oneness of the Church.” It is “absolutely detestable” for the saint, he said, “precisely because it abolishes the unity of the Church, and it does so by denying the Church’s one, catholic and apostolic faith.”

The highly respected American theologian pre-supposed that Ignatius had never met an heretical bishop as he gives the impression he could never have conceived of one, but were he to have done so, he would have contended he was no longer “in union” with the Church. Based on Ignatius’ teaching, Father Weinandy said such a bishop would no longer bear the four marks of the Church and so could not fulfill his ministry as a bishop.

Heretical Bishops

“Such, I believe, would be Ignatius’ rejoinder to a heretical bishop,” Father Weinandy said, adding it is an argument he would “similarly employ in face of our contemporary ecclesial crisis.”

Turning to Lumen Gentium, the Capuchin systematic theologian said that surprisingly the document does not specifically deal with the four marks, and yet their importance is “evident throughout” and “in accord” with the thoughts of Ignatius. The document emphasizes the importance of “oneness” from the outset, he said, and underlines how bishops have an obligation to foster and safeguard “the unity of faith.” The Constitution also stresses the “one visible and invisible Church.”

The American theologian then turned to the current crisis in which he believes the four marks are under “subtle, but well-defined, attack.”

In Ecclesia de Eucharistia, he said John Paul II “steadfastly holds that oneness is the fundamental and indispensable mark of the Church.” Father Weinandy then went on to note that, although the post-conciliar Church has been “rife with divisions,” there was never any doubt over where John Paul II and Benedict XVI stood regarding the Church’s “doctrine, morals, and liturgical practice.”

“Such is not the case, in many significant ways, within the present pontificate of Pope Francis,” Father Weinandy continued.

He praised Pope Francis, saying that “much” of his pontificate is “admirable and praiseworthy,” and noted in particular his “defense of the sanctity of life, his concern for the poor and the marginalized, and his encouragement to the young.”

But he also observed that “at times” the Holy Father appears to identify himself “not as the promoter of unity but as the agent of division,” and that his desire to — in the Pope’s own words — “make a mess” in the belief that a greater unifying good will emerge, is a cause for great concern.

Such an approach, he said, “strikes at very essence of the Petrine ministry as intended by Jesus and as continuously understood by the Church.” The Successor of St. Peter is the “consummate sign of the Church’s ecclesial communion” and so its principle defender, he added, and so if a pope even encourages doctrinal and moral divergences, he “undermines the whole of Vatican II’s teaching on ecclesial communion, as well as that of the entire magisterial and theological tradition going back to Ignatius.”

“By seeming to encourage doctrinal division and moral discord within the Church, the present pontificate has transgressed the foundational mark of the Church – her oneness,” Father Weinandy asserted, adding that in turn, this destabilizes the other three marks of the Church.

He said her apostolic nature is undermined when, with regard to Francis’ 2016 apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, he appears to “re-conceive and newly express” the apostolic faith and magisterial tradition in an “ambiguous manner,” puzzling the ecclesial community, and thereby contradicting “his own duties” by transgressing the trust of bishops, priests and the “entire faithful.”

“Ignatius would be dismayed by the situation,” Father Weinandy said.

“If, for him, heretical teaching espoused by those who are only loosely associated with the Church is destructive to the Church’s unity, how much more devastating is ambiguous teaching when authored by a bishop who is divinely charged to ensure ecclesial unity,” he said. “At least heresy is a clear denial of the apostolic faith and so can be clearly identified and as such properly addressed. Ambiguous teaching, precisely because of its murkiness, cannot be clearly identified, and so is even more troublesome for it fosters uncertainty as to how it is to be understood and thus how it is to be clarified.”

Father Weinandy said the magisterium “simply cannot fundamentally contradict itself concerning matters of faith and morals,” and even if the Pope might call it magisterial, it cannot be “precisely because it is not in accord with previous magisterial teaching.” Because Pope Francis’ ambiguous teaching “appears to fall outside” magisterial teaching, it’s a cause for concern because it “fosters division and disharmony rather than unity and peace within one apostolic Church,” he explained.

Catholicity Undermined

The Church’s catholicity is undermined by Francis’ concept of synodality, Father Weinandy continued, whereby decentralization is applied to doctrine, leading to a kind of "theological anarchy."

“We are presently witnessing the disintegration of the Church’s catholicity,” he said, “for local churches, both on the diocesan and national level, are often interpreting doctrinal norms and moral precepts in various conflicting and contradictory ways.”

He added that the Church’s holiness is “equally under siege” most especially when it comes to the Eucharist. Father Weinandy argued that the ambiguities in allowing some civilly remarried divorcees to receive Holy Communion not living in continence permits a “pastoral situation to evolve” whereby “almost every divorced and remarried couple will judge themselves free to receive Holy Communion.” The Commandments become no longer absolute moral norms never to be trespassed but “moral ideals” leading to a number of “detrimental and moral consequences.”

The first is an “overt public attack on the holiness of what John Paul terms ‘the Most Holy Sacrament,’” he said. This is an offense against the holiness of the Church, and the enactment of a lie (receiving Holy Communion testifies to being a living member of the ecclesial community, which cannot be so if one receives in a state of mortal sin).

The second is that a priest, by allowing someone to persist in manifest grave sin and to receive Holy Communion, implicitly acknowledges that “sin continues to govern humankind despite Jesus’ redeeming work.”

Lastly, Father Weinandy pointed to the scandal caused by allowing persons in unrepentant manifest grave sin to receive the Eucharist. Not only does it dismay the faithful, but tempts others into thinking that they can gravely sin and “continue in good standing with the Church.” This leads the Church to become a mockery of herself and such a “charade breeds nothing but scorn and disdain in the world and derision and cynicism among the faithful,” he said.

Father Weinandy concluded by underlining the importance of praying for the Pope, but also the need to speak the “truth in love,” not out of bitterness but fidelity to the leaders involved.

“The Church’s very identity, our ecclesial communion, is being assailed, and because she is the Church of Christ, Jesus himself is being dishonored along with his saving work,” he said in closing. “What is presently being offered in its place is an anemic Church, a Church where the Holy Spirit is enfeebled, and so a Church that is incapable of giving full glory to God the Father.”

He said he hoped that by pinpointing the “perilous nature of the crisis” it would encourage all the faithful “to embark on an adequate response.” That cannot be merely negative, he said, but “robustly positive” by proclaiming “the good news of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church” and defending and promoting “a proper knowledge of and love for the Eucharist, for here, as we saw, the four marks of the Church are most fully expressed and abundantly

“Within the Eucharist,” he concluded, “the Church’s four marks most beautifully shine.”

i love you guys, your comments are awesome, where have you all been hiding, here on this site?, i’ve met hundreds of different techno-gnostic, self-proclaimed atheist, “spiritual but not religious”, types in my 38 years out IRL. i’ve also met my fair share of “born again” and “we go to mass because it is what good middle class folks do” type Catholics. just my luck, i never run into people out there as gifted as all of you up in here debating some serious intellectual ORTHODOXY. allot of you have done some serious theological reading! listen, i’m just a married man, ordinary laity, and looking over that encyclical, I don’t think there is any danger of confusion as to whether or not adultery is still considered a mortal sin. is that really what this priest thinks Papa Francis has somehow made confusing?! come on, brothers and sisters, out there IRL there are a bunch of sinners who think they’re really smart and they’re desperately in need of people as gifted as you all to bring the Gospel to them! IMHO, you ought to be busy out there using your gifts to help them out rather than on here pretending like the Bishop of Rome just proclaimed ex cathedra that what God has joined together man can tear apart.

Posted by Theresa H on Sunday, Mar, 4, 2018 7:31 PM (EDT):

I read the long Article and some of the Comments—-Seems to me what it all boils down to is what Pope Francis, himself, said not long after he was elected Pope: such things as he is “going to,” or, “wants to make a mess,”....And, he IS doing just THAT!....For example, Marriage Annulments are no longer going to Rome; decisions are being left to the individual Bishops in their Dioceses around the world. (So, folks, if you don’t like the “decision” in your diocese just move to another one and file again!) He, also, said that he doesn’t like to live alone, so he is back with Pope Benedict in the Domus Sanctae Marthae….Good company, for sure, but, after a full day with the staff in his Vatican Office along with meetings with various dignataries from around the world you would think he would want, NEED time for silence, solitude, and prayer.

Posted by Celowa on Sunday, Mar, 4, 2018 1:05 PM (EDT):

Fr Weinandy, you channel Martin Luther; why not take the next step and attempt to start your own denomination of protestantism, unfettered by that pesky, to youj, Holy Spirit Who you no longer believe selects and guides the vicar of Christ?

Posted by Robert on Sunday, Mar, 4, 2018 10:57 AM (EDT):

What are the two things that all socialistic Catholic clerics starting with Pope Francis respect above all else? MONEY and POWER! It is time for traditional Catholics loyal to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Magisterium going back to the 1st century AD to start voting with their wallets! STOP CONTRIBUTING TO ALL USCCB AND VATICAN-RELATED CAUSES, and consider cutting back significantly your weekly contributions to your own parish. If 10s or 100s or millions of Catholics started doing that immediately, you’d see the College of Cardinals remove Pope Francis in a New York minute and replace him with a more traditional, more conservative Cardinal. The very meaning of the word “conservative” means to preserve. That’s what the pope is supposed to do, PRESERVE and protect the Catholic Church from Satan.

Posted by Anthony on Sunday, Mar, 4, 2018 10:49 AM (EDT):

May I add that all that Fr Weinandy says makes sense to me. To express and define it as he does requires his theological learning and discipline but to understand what he says, to see the sense in it, one only requires common sense; not even good but common sense. When we are told by the right hand man of Pope Francis that 2+2 equals 5 we know immediately something is wrong. That statement contradicts logic and we perceive something funny is going on or rather something is not right. Now to pray for the Pope and his so called advisors is true and right. As Christians we know this plus the power of prayer and I do pray for the Pope. Yet I often wonder besides prayer would it not be a good thing, figuratively speaking, to give Francis a good kick up the backside in an attempt to bring him to his senses. Someone to scold him as he scolded the curia, young people attending the traditional mass, traditionalists etc etc to even verbally correcting an altar boy for standing too stiffly yet embracing proud abortionists, befriending an atheist freemason as his media go between etc, etc. Would someone please be a man and give Francis a taste of his own medicine to open his eyes.

Posted by Anthony on Sunday, Mar, 4, 2018 9:43 AM (EDT):

This whole papacy has gone beyond the beyond. The latest outrage with the Vatican stamp depicting a gym like Jesus that even the German Bishops Conference condemned following on from the Gym like figure in the Christmas crib scene in St Peters Square reflects how out of control is this Papacy. When Phillip F Lawler was asked for his opinion on this stamp in his interview on his book Lost Shepherd on the World Over he replied that not only women`s hearts may beat faster but some around the Vatican. That is not funny but rather most serious. A complete contradiction of what the Vatican is about; an utterly gross hypocrisy. These people should be drove out of Rome to a monastery retreat of repentance and conversion or wherever they wish to go but they have no place in the Vatican. This Pope in being silent and inactive on these controversies leads one to surmise he is in agreement. We are becoming numb and accepting of these outrages in the Vatican from embracing abortionists to gay sex orgies, alleged financial corruption etc,etc. What a scandal this Vatican has become. Fr Weinandy is right in speaking up in his capacity as a respected theologian; about time.

Posted by Ranger01 on Saturday, Mar, 3, 2018 9:15 PM (EDT):

Hmmmm, all these many years the good Father is a faithful witness to the Church.
He remains faithful still. But he is most certainly not onboard with the vague nonsense now emanating from the Vatican.
Weinandy is calling a spade, a spade. This is the antithesis of jesuit-speak. The Vatican and USCCB apparatchiks understand this and wish to take him down.
This bishop of Rome plays for keeps, as do his lieutenants. They have their agenda. It will be carried out. Bet on it.

Posted by Will Niermeyer on Saturday, Mar, 3, 2018 5:30 PM (EDT):

I also think the most damaging thing going on today is the open disagreement on just about anything the Pope has to say. One other thing is also a threat and that is clericalism. I went back to my old Seminary that I graduated from in 1974 and was shocked to see the boys running around in cassocks and even beretta’s. Back in my day the faculty would have dubbed one ultra conservative along with a few other things that most likely impact ordination. How did this happen.

Posted by Seam McG on Saturday, Mar, 3, 2018 4:52 PM (EDT):

I respect the sacrifice that Fr Weinandy as a highly respected theologian has made to publicly make the stance. However, a little like Elyse’s concerns, I am worried by how publicly polemic this is becoming. I think its “OK” for for the genuinely faithful laity to stay out of this as much as possible and remain supportive of what is encouraging in Pope Francis’ papacy.

Posted by Robert on Saturday, Mar, 3, 2018 3:39 PM (EDT):

To Elyse: What is most important is that God’s Truth be known and God’s Will be done. Millions and millions of Catholics now believe that Pope Francis is not leading the Catholic Church towards those objectives. And, given Pope Francis’s efforts, both before and after his election as Pope, to shut down completely those who disagree with his views (typical of those who practice the ways of Juan Peron and Saul Alinsky), no one should be criticizing brave souls like Fr. Weinandy, Edward Pentin, and other National Catholic Register and Catholic News Agency journalists. Come, Holy Spirit, and save us from the evils of today.

Posted by Elyse on Saturday, Mar, 3, 2018 2:23 PM (EDT):

Isn’t this open and well-advertised criticism of the pope more damaging to the Church’s unity than anything else?
I certainly think so.

Posted by Jude on Friday, Mar, 2, 2018 5:19 PM (EDT):

One thing I would like to point about to Francis and the discussion here is that technically he refuses to act in the role of the Pope. He speaks informally, off the cuff and from the personal opinions of the man who is the Pope rather than as the Pope. Nowhere was this more apparent than when he said, “who am I to judge?” Just like with the way that Judas priests (of which there are many among our Bishops) attempt to skirt the official doctrine of the Church with pastoral confusion Pope Francis isn’t causing a problem between Tradition and his papacy because he has really refused to occupy the role of Bishop of Rome in the first place. Interesting then the Church at this point really has no Pope because of the two popes the one who actually is occupying the chair is retired (in prayer for the Church) while the active one refuses to sit.

However, as the attacks on Humanae Vitae are becoming explicit in Pope Francis’ pontificate the one thing I am becoming more convinced through its fruit is that the man who happens to be the Pope (or one of them at any event) is really an evil man in whom God is using to chastise the Church (and the world) at this time.

If anything this is confirmation of the truth of Catholicism.

Posted by lyle on Friday, Mar, 2, 2018 3:06 PM (EDT):

Yes, due to the total failure of the pomous Catholic leadership in the USA, “Disintegration of the Church’s Catholicity” can be said to be true in the USA.

But for the World wide Universal Catholic church, “Disintegration of the Church’s Catholicity” is blasphemy.

Posted by Janet on Friday, Mar, 2, 2018 9:31 AM (EDT):

Catholic Tradition (capital T) of one HOLY, CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC church! DO NOT BE AFRAID!!!

Posted by Renee on Friday, Mar, 2, 2018 1:05 AM (EDT):

Thank you for reporting real news! Great Job NCRegister, finally picking up reality. What a breath of fresh air and heroic courage by Fr. W! Who taught at Rome and Oxford-That guy knows his theology, and risked his job for it & lost it! What makes being Catholic Awesome is ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, and APOSTOLIC! I will cling to this Tradition with my Life! 2,000 years of tried and tested Doctrine works. Only way to find real Love, and let it flourish is in real families and real marriages. That is real evangelization, that gives a hope and a heritage. Beware of Pope idol worship. We have to use our brains, not blind obedience. Know your catechism!

Posted by Anthony on Friday, Mar, 2, 2018 12:28 AM (EDT):

Great appraisal and accurate presentation of this papacy. I applaud Fr Weinandy`s courage and honesty. It cant be easy for a man in his position to speak out as he does here. Well said.

Posted by Janet on Thursday, Mar, 1, 2018 6:08 PM (EDT):

Why is Maria Shriver, a “catholic” who supports abortion, “gay” marriage, birth control, Holy Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried, and women’s “ordination.” slated to speak the first day of the 2018 Religious Education Congress (REC). This is CRAZY!!!!

Posted by Rodney Ford on Thursday, Mar, 1, 2018 2:03 PM (EDT):

I so agree with Father Weinandy! I think Amoris Laetitia creates a situation where too much is asked of the confessor to evaluate. This turns the confessional into a mini-trial. If we accept A.L. it is no longer okay to say ” one norm that stands above all”. Those who support Amoris Laetitia are attacking the 6th commandment, saying that it no longer applies to everyone equally.

I am a convert, and am just heart-broken over the mess the Church is in. What hurts the most is that most of the rank and file Catholics don’t even have any idea, or they refuse to admit to themselves the evil truth. It is no wonder there are those who are entertaining sede vacantism theories, and considering Francis an anti-pope, but that is too much for some people to take. Most are so weak and worn down by this neo-Catholic Church, that they have become no more than useful idiots for the corrupt leadership, which at it’s highest levels is nothing less than diabolical.

Posted by Joe Alvaro on Wednesday, Feb, 28, 2018 10:39 AM (EDT):

As a new Catholic, I take offence with Father Weinandy’s position. Please think clearly. You rail against divisions within the Church, yet in articles such as this, you add fuel to division by stirring up confusion over Pope Francis and his motives. In fact, you create further division — the opposite of what you intend. Can you not see the glaring paradox in your words? The Pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth and I would say to you what Gamaliel said to the council of Pharisees, “Take heed to yourselves…if this council be of men, it will come to nought; But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest you be found even to fight against God. And they consented to him.” It is God’s Church, He will correct us when we need it. Is the faith of some Catholics so weak that they think God will not rebuke and chasten when it is necessary? I am not agreeing with liberalism, but I strongly condemn your divisive tactics. Let God do His thing!

Posted by Andy on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 8:34 PM (EDT):

Good article; the question is what to do about it. Pray more, and sacrifice this Lenten season. God help us.

Posted by Jimmick on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 6:46 PM (EDT):

Nicholas Belford asked me what I meant by the Papal charism.

“I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Lk 22:32
This charge, to strengthen your brothers, is used by JP2 in Ut Unum Sint to explain an important part of papal ministry. I am using it to explain the position Francis was in the wake of the two synods on the family. There were multiple positions on remarried persons, and he had to “strengthen his brothers.” The only way he could strengthen all of them was to assert the multiplicity of views. Many interpret that as “ambiguity” which I suppose it is. Fr Weinandy goes a different way, and says one position has always been taught by the Church, ignoring the large number of the Church’s Teachers who expressed other opinions at the Synods.Questioning their faith, their judgement and their fitness to be bishops was not an option for the Pope who is responsible for strengthening his brothers.

Amoris laetitiae, The Joy of Love, refers to this in its opening paragraphs. Not every issue needs to be decided by Rome. If that is what you disagree with, you should address that part of the letter. Demanding that ambiguity be resolved simply is a distraction if you do not at least read what Francis says about why it is not being resolved.

Posted by Nicolas Bellord on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 6:31 PM (EDT):

Excellent comment by ThomasL. However I would like to add that in affirming Amoris Laetitia is one not affirming Humanae Vitae? It gets approval in AL at paras 69 & 82. The only problem arises at para 222 where in my view there is a dishonest sleight of hand in taking a passage out of context from Gaudium et Spes which raises the question of conscience but fails to mention the very important caveat in the following paragraph which reads:

“But in their manner of acting, spouses should be aware that they cannot proceed arbitrarily, but must always be governed according to a conscience dutifully conformed to the divine law itself, and should be submissive toward the Church’s teaching office, which authentically interprets that law in the light of the Gospel. That divine law reveals and protects the integral meaning of conjugal love, and impels it toward a truly human fulfillment.”

I warned at the time that this looked like an opening salvo against Humanae Vitae which eventually lead to condoning abortion see:

http://guildofblessedtitus.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/

Posted by Jimmick on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 6:13 PM (EDT):

ThomasL asked me how to reconcile two papal teachings, AL and VS.

Beats me. Peter Abelard, 1000 years ago, wrote a book full of apparently contradictory statements from Church teaching, and gave some guidelines on to discover how they might logically both be true. We still often face contradictory indications that in the end turn out not to be contradictions. What I see is that Francis is talking about what happens when conscience comes to an erroneous conclusion, while JP2 is saying that conscience should not come to erroneous conclusions. Those are two very different situations, so much so that I am not sure there is any contradiction.

Also, I am not sure that you understand what “a new paradigm” means. One example is the shift from an earth centered universe to a sun contered universe. The new paradigm keeps all the same data and information, and expresses it in a more coherent way. If you want to keep to the epicycles that are needed to explain geocentric planetary motion, that would be weird; if you want to keep condemning people who are trying to develop a loving relationship, that seems just as weird to me. Sometimes we just do not understand things as well as we should, and we need to learn a new way of seeing that comes with a new paradigm. Read Benedict XVI’s 2005 Christmas speech to the curia where he talks about religious freedom if you want a good description of a change of paradigm in theology.

Posted by ThomasL on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 1:47 PM (EDT):

@Jimmick

The problem is, how can one affirm both these statements?

Pope Francis, AL 303:
“[Conscience] can also recognize with sincerity and honesty what for now is the most generous response which can be given to God, and come to see with a certain moral security that it is what God himself is asking amid the concrete complexity of one’s limits, while yet not fully the objective ideal.”

JPII, VS 103:

“It would be a very serious error to conclude… that the Church’s teaching is essentially only an ‘ideal’ which must then be adapted, proportioned, graduated to the so-called concrete possibilities of man, according to a ‘balancing of the goods in question’.”

Not just these two paragraphs, but most of the 8th chapter of AL stands in this (at least) apparent contradiction to the teaching of the Church handed down through tradition.

It is not enough simply to say that one should “affirm Amoris Laetitiae”. Affirm it how? What does it mean? If it means something different that one the Church has always taught, including the quote from VS above, how does one affirm it without denying what came before?

That would reduce the papal office to the opinion of whomever happens to be in the office at the time, ready to be something completely different under the next inhabitant.

But if one “affirms” AL in the understanding that it doesn’t say anything other than what the Church has always taught, how is it also a “new paradigm”, a “revolution” and how can it be that the Pope approves any sort of change in his letter to the Buenos Aires bishops, how can the bishops of Malta, Germany, etc., etc. all be making changes in accordance with what is taught in AL? If he is only repeating what has always been taught, all these changes would have no mean they either misunderstand AL, or misunderstood Church teaching before AL and just realized it.

Anyway, all of this is plainly weird, and much of it a dance to try to avoid the hard conclusion that what by all in AL appears to be in contradiction really is a contradiction (eg, those two quotes above), and what one does about that.

Simply “affirming” AL and “affirming” VS and “affirming” Casti Connubii and “affirming” Arcanum, without answering how it is that AL can say things that appear to directly contradict the others does not really help much.

Posted by Nicolas Bellord on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 11:03 AM (EDT):

@Tom: Point taken as what you wrote was: “the Holy Spirit is leading the Church and inspiring the Vicar of Christ to teach authentic Christian doctrine. That said, this principle does not apply to the “advisers” of Pope, and thus the church establishment, nor the interpretors/journalist reporting on the Pope’s words, but only the person who holds the Petrine office.”

Well that is only part of the picture presented by Lumen Gentium where it talks about the Bishops as a whole having infallibility in a council.

We should of course listen carefully to what a Pope says but where it is not clear as to what he means and whether he regards it as infallible teaching or whatever, I think we can ask questions and indeed have a duty to do so, so that our consciences are properly informed. After all the Holy Spirit can operate through individuals and not to seek clarification could amount to a form of Quietism.

You speak of the Pope’s spontaneity and that is the problem. When Pope Francis wrote to the Bishops of Buenos Aires asserting that they had the only possible interpretation was that an example of intemperate spontaneity without considered thought (a charitable interpretation of what he wrote?) or did he really mean it? Putting the letter into the ASA rather puts paid to such an idea and suggests he really did mean it. Having done that what kind of authority does he mean us to attribute to that action? If he really means it why not come out and say it in a truly authoritative manner? Instead we just have a mess. Haga lio!

Posted by Janet on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 10:43 AM (EDT):

Well said, Jude. What Christ guaranteed was the purity of the sacraments as means to enter into the Divine Mysteries. You might want to clarify Novus Ordo for readers who do not know what that is. Do not need anyone to assume. Truth (Capital T).

Posted by D. Morgan on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 9:58 AM (EDT):

God Bless Fr. Weinandy. We have Schism in the Body of Christ today. A rent in the fabric of our unity. On one side are the progressives, SJWs, and neo-catholics who have either been poorly catechized or are happy to discard 2000 years of Tradition for the next new shiny thing. On the other side are those who are struggling to hold fast the Perennial teaching and Magesterium of the Church. Baring divine intervention this will not end well.

Posted by Nicolas Bellord on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 6:44 AM (EDT):

@Robert Tilley: Why is it that supporters of Pope Francis want those who have problems with him, like Father Weinandy and others, to be shut up or sacked as in the case of people working for EWTN? Why not give us a reasoned argument of where you think Father Weinandy is in error?

Posted by Nicolas Bellord on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 6:33 AM (EDT):

Jimmick: You wrote ” For the Pope to say one side is right and the others wrong would be to violate the papal charism.” Please explain to me what you mean by the ‘papal charism’.

The Pope has issued a document “Amoris Laetitia” which is ambiguous as shown by the different interpretations that Bishops have made of it in respect of communion for those who are in a state of mortal sin. You cannot support two sides of a contradiction. Father Weinandy has supported one side. The Pope has been asked to explain which is the correct interpretation and has decided to support the other side in a rather curious manner in a letter to the Buenos Aires Bishops which I suspect is one of his more intemperate utterances to which he did not give much considered thought.

Please also explain where in the final Relatio Synodi at the end of the two synods there is any mention of this issue. The Synods were manipulated but the Bishops did manage to remove the heresies that were fed to them in the Instrumentum Laboris at the start of the second session of the Synod.

Posted by lyle on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 12:18 AM (EDT):

The fact of God, the creator of all, recognizes with God all is possible, without God nothing is possible. God created the Catholic church which will prevail till the end of time, recognizes “Disintegration of the Church’s Catholicity” is blasphemy. The people freed from slavery were only 18 days from the promised land, yet they for their lack of faith wondered in the desert for forty years…
As todays Catholic leaders flounder.

Posted by Janet on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 8:49 PM (EDT):

Further and further from the Truth (Capital T),

Posted by Jude on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 8:40 PM (EDT):

There are a couple of points in the comments that I would like to address. Papa Infallibility does not guarantee the Bishop of Rome salvation, which is what is being implied if we say he actions and speech are always in accordance with the Holy Spirit. A Pope still has the freedom to reject allegiance to our Christ. What Christ guaranteed was the purity of the sacraments as means to enter into the Divine Mysteries, and even in the worst Novus Ordo Missae Christ is still present in the Eucharist. Thankfully, this Pope never really speaks from the chair as the Pope, but rather speaks informally as the person who happens to also be the Pope. This does not make those personal theological opinions infallible especially where they’re clearly at odds with Tradition.

The Pope can be wrong, or even an Apostate. Nevertheless, I place my trust in the Christ even during an era of a bad—and possibly heretical—Pope. The point still is that the sacraments of the Church are and will be preserved by our Christ as the means for our own sanctification and our common belonging to the assembly, which is the communion of the saints and also known as the Church.

Posted by TOM on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 7:40 PM (EDT):

Dear Nicolas,
Thank you for reading my comments, and I completely understand why you say, “You suggest that what the Pope says comes from the Holy Spirit and it is only his advisers who get it wrong.” But in fact I did not say anyone was wrong, even if often times I do think errors are being made, such as your example. What I did say was; “We must trust in the promise of Christ Jesus, that He established a ROCK in Peter and “the gates of Hades will never prevail against His Church.” What I mean when I say that is we are in good hands, not because of any human endeavor, good or bad, but because the Holy Trinity is looking after us all and will protect the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church from promulgating as infallible dogma any teaching contrary to the Sacred Tradition and a sound interpretation of Sacred Scripture.
God bless,
tom

Posted by Eric Beregerud on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 6:21 PM (EDT):

Thanks again to Mr. Pentin. Without his long efforts the believer without contact in the Vatican would not know what goes on.

“First, our era is a “peculiar combination of the greatest perfection of means with the greatest confusion about goals.” Second, in the face of modern atheism—often less a hatred of God than a technology-driven indifference to him—“for a large part of today’s religious thought, the quest for aggiornamento simply means surrendering to the adversary.” And third, much of what styles itself as Christian progressivism, no matter how good its intentions, serves as the instrument of that surrender.”
So do note that above Father Weinandy dismisses talk about Francis creating confusion: instead the core of the Church is under “subtle, but well-defined, attack.” It has been Francis’ desire to accommodate 21st century secularism. And to the extent that he has done so, negotiations leading to the unconditional surrender “Who Am I to Judge” Church have gone forward. Pray that some of the harm can be undone by wiser Catholics in the near future.

Posted by Jimmick on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 3:01 PM (EDT):

Nicholas Belford asked me what Fr Weinandy should affirm?

He should affirm Amoris Laetitiae, a papal document that was written after two synods could not reach a consensus on the remarried. For the Pope to say one side is right and the others wrong would be to violate the papal charism. He would confirm some of his brothers, and not confirm others, in a way that really would be a threat to the unity of the Church.

Fr Weinandy has chosen a different track, affirming one side in the discussion. I have no problem with that. But he goes on to portray that position as the perrenial position of all Catholics, which it clearly is not if you look at the synods. Many Catholic bishops hold different positions, as Fr Weinandy knows. Setting himself up as the authority on what unites the Church, and excluding the Pope from that unity, is an attack on the unity of the Church not unlike the behavior of heretics Weinandy opposes imo.

I offered my idea of what should be affirmed by referring to 1 Cor 11-13. There are 3 things that will last forever: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love. Fr Weinandy should affirm that despite our differences, we are united by a loving respect for one another. Basing unity only on faith is not the better way St Paul advocated. If Fr Weinandy truly cares for the unity of the Church, he should know that unity is with and under the Pope.

In all of this, Weinandy may be right about how to treat remarried people. He is not right about how to treat the Pope.

Posted by William Horan on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 12:07 PM (EDT):

Here is the general principle to keep in mind when we try to apply the good news to modern day life: “In some people we see an ostentatious preoccupation for the liturgy, for doctrine and for the Church’s prestige, but without any concern that the Gospel have a real impact on God’s faithful people and the concrete needs of the present time.” (Evangeli Gaudium by Pope Francis # 95)

Posted by Macmia on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 9:28 AM (EDT):

What I find upsetting is the current state of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. A few local parishes near me don’t have a scheduled confession time. I have also experienced attending a scheduled confession time where the priest never showed up. Is this the new Catholicism? Nobody sins and confession is unnecessary?

Posted by Nicolas Bellord on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 5:27 AM (EDT):

TOM: You suggest that what the Pope says comes from the Holy Spirit and it is only his advisers who get it wrong. The problem is that in indorsing the letter of the Argentinian Bishops he is confirming what some of those ‘advisers’ are saying and what they are saying is heretical.

Posted by Fred on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 1:59 AM (EDT):

I applaud the National Catholic Register, and EWTN for finally grasping the gravity of the crisis in the Church. As faithful Catholics, we must all be steadfast in supporting the orthodoxy of the Church, and opposing the heterodoxy of many clerics, and even bishops, on issues of the sanctity of marriage, Holy Communion, and many others.

Posted by Vic on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 1:39 AM (EDT):

The Church will become small if Pope Francis continues in the way he is. People will leave the Church because he is being divisive and causing much confusion between its members. In the end there will be the Remnant that remains…those who will not deter from the teachings of the Church in spite of those who would condemn them for doing so. Meaning if we do not follow this Pope then we will go to hell or something of that effect. I believe and know it is our duty to stand up for Christ and His Church even when we may be persecuted by our own Catholic brothers and sisters. Be part of the remnant, not the majority who say follow this Pope no matter what. Blessing to all.

Catholic, as Father Weinandy understands, does not mean syncretist. It is the aspiration of the Catholic Faith to go everywhere, to accept everybody, to be available to everybody—-on the Church’s terms.

It does not mean accommodating or integrating unto itself every thought, opinion, belief or moral practice under one big tent called “Catholicism.”

Posted by Bill on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 11:10 PM (EDT):

I do not believe an attack on the Pope should be an major article in this paper. It is merely giving a platform to dissenters without any real analysis. A more nuanced article might have been better. It damaged my perception of EWTN.

Posted by MR on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 10:16 PM (EDT):

Beautifully and clearly stated. This is what true love of Christ and of his mystical body should elicit from her faithful clergy!

Posted by Theresa H on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 8:54 PM (EDT):

This all came about a few months ago….SO S-A-D! I have been hoping, praying that Pope Francis would withdraw his “view” of divorce and re-marriage—-when the first marriage was VALID and the first spouse is still alive. Pope Francis invokes “mercy;” but his “view” of “mercy” is clearly contrary to the WORD of the LORD! It has been several Centuries, since there has been a SERIOUS PROBLEM with a Pope re. the 6th and 9th COMMANDMENTS. Pray, PRAY for Pope Francis AND for many in the Church who, sadly, LIKE what he’s saying! He has said he “likes to make a mess!” Well, he is making one, but he WILL not like “it” when the Bishops and Cardinals DO what they must, IF he does NOT “Repent and believe in the GOSPEL!” (Mark 1:15)

Posted by Robert Tilley on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 8:16 PM (EDT):

I was present at Weinandy’s talk so too were many representatives of the Catholic Higher Education schools (apart from ACU). I lecture in biblical studies at the Catholic Institute of Sydney and gave a paper shortly after Weinandy’s entitled A Biblical Defense of Pope Francis. In question time I stood up and denounced Weinandy, I found it scandalous that he was hosted at UNDA Sydney, that Tracey Rowland made it clear he was an old friend and that no one else there appeared to find this denigration of the Holy Father as nothing short of the anti-Christ to be outrageous. My name is Robert Tilley and as I said to the conveners (who happened to be friends of mine) that from now on I am a foe of theirs and so too any others who support Weinandy and his schismatic and hence devilish opposition to the Holy Father. That no other who holds an official position in the Church who was present made a like protest is something I find disturbing. You and your readers I suspect will find this a cause for celebration. Every heretic and schismatic thinks they are correct. The motto is: I am mad, and I am right. God have mercy on your souls.

Posted by TOM on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 7:34 PM (EDT):

I read the article and I read the comments, and I really can not disagree with much of it, but one thought keeps creeping into my head since listening to the Gospel on the Solemnity of the Chair of St. Peter, “Whatever you bind on earth, will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19). This Bible verse is not new to me, because 27 years ago when I was studying Koine Greek (the language of the NT) in a Baptist Church in NYC, a minister in that church came up to me, as a known Catholic, and said to me “what the original Greek meant was that what [the Church] bound on earth was already bound in heaven, and what was loosed on earth was already loosed in heavan.” To that I replied, “I agree with you 100%, because you just gave to me the Biblical evidence of papal infallibility.” The look on that man’s face made me believe that was not what he was hoping I would have taken from his hermeneutics. St Matthew thought that this saying of Jesus was so important, that he repeated it in Chapter 18 verse 18 (of couse Jesus might have taught this precept twice and it was just recorded by Matthew as Jesus spoke), therefore every serious Christian must reflect honestly on what is being said and discern what is Jesus really teaching. To me, it means that the Holy Spirit is leading the Church and inspiring the Vicar of Christ to teach authentic Christian doctrine. That said, this principle does not apply to the “advisers” of Pope, and thus the church establishment, nor the interpretors/journalist reporting on the Pope’s words, but only the person who holds the Petrine office. Early on I thought Pope Francis talking off the cuff and the media mis-interpreting his words was due to inexperience on the Pope’s part, and took great comfort that he eventually stopped doing that, but recently he seems to have returned to that practice of spontaneity. We must trust in the promise of Christ Jesus, that He established a ROCK in Peter and “the gates of Hades will never prevail against His Church,” anything else is a lack of Faith and ignorance of Church history, which is rife with disunity, heresy, and conflict! May God Almighty continue to bless the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ (which happens to be 22 ecclesiastical communions) and all His faithful disciples spread throughout the world.

Posted by Anne Marie on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 6:16 PM (EDT):

The Church is built up of living stones, and it seems to me that the Church will be as one, as holy, as Catholic and as apostolic as the members who are its stones have let themselves be unified, sanctified and made universally- and apostolically-minded by the Holy Spirit. If we the members do not let ourselves be transformed by His grace, the Church will endure but it will be impoverished

Posted by Mary Ann Chimera on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 5:27 PM (EDT):

Hadn’t thought of it that way previously, but it makes sense that an attack on any one of the four marks of the Church is an attack on the others. A divided Church cannot be fully holy, apostolic or universal. Similarly, a sinful Church cannot be fully united, catholic or apostolic in the sense that apostolic truths are lost or avoided.
That famous footnote in Laetita Amoris is fundamentally an attack on the holiness of the Church. It has divided us. Apostolic truths about the sanctity of marriage and the sinfulness of homosexual fornication are lost to softpedaling. Our universality has been wounded with a doctrine applied in one Archdiocese and a contrary doctrine in the diocese next door.
The Lord must have his purpose in giving us this Holy Father. We need to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to find a way out of this mess to a new Pentacost.
It took most of the next century to correct the arrors of the Prostestant rebellion through the insights of the Council of Trent. It may tale that long for the response of the Church as a whole to sort out the Holy Father’s innovations.

Posted by Robert on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 3:16 PM (EDT):

To me, born a Protestant and became a Catholic convert in college, what Pope Francis appears to be doing is reaching out to those who refuse to accept traditional Catholic teaching going back over 2 millennia (which led me to become Catholic). His approach appears to be “if you won’t accept traditional Catholic teaching to be worthy to receive the Blessed Sacrament, we will make subtle or even radical changes to Catholic beliefs to accommodate what were formerly considered sinful actions, but in the future will not be considered sinful under the right set of “pastoral concerns.”
Isaiah 5:20-21 accurately predicted the actions of Pope Francis and his supporters: “Ah! Those who call evil good, and good evil, who change darkness into light, and light into darkness, who change bitter to sweet, and sweet into bitter! Ah! Those who are wise in their own eyes, prudent in their own views!” Apparently, Pope Francis is wiser and more prudent than the 265 popes, saints, and theologians before him, as he attempts to fundamentally transform the Catholic Church, much as his dear socialist friend, Barack Obama, attempted to change America during eight years as President of the USA.

Posted by Nicolas Bellord on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 3:06 PM (EDT):

Jimmick: You ask Father Weinandy to affirm what the Pope has said. The problem is that what he has said is ambiguous as witnessed by radically different interpretations. So what is that the Father should affirm?

Posted by Nicolas Bellord on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 2:54 PM (EDT):

BrianA_MN: You quote St Paul ” he became all things to all people so that they might hear the Word, repent and be saved.” The problem here is that some Bishops in Malta, Germany etc have interpreted Amoris Laetitia as meaning that people in objective sinful situations do not need to repent in order to access Holy Communion. Other Bishops do not accept this. These are questions of doctrine and not pastoral. We need to apply reason to these problems and that is what Father Weinandy has done.

Posted by Nancy D. on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 2:14 PM (EDT):

P.S., Keep up the Good writing that affirms The Unity of The Holy Ghost. (Filioque)

Posted by Janet on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 12:39 PM (EDT):

Great job, National Catholic Register. DO NOT BE AFRAID!

Posted by Anne Marie on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 12:22 PM (EDT):

The Church is built up of living stones, and it seems to me that the Church will be as one, as holy, as Catholic and as apostolic as the members who are its stones have let themselves be unified, sanctified and made universally- and apostolicly-minded by the Holy Spirit. If we the members do not let ourselves be transformed by His grace, the Church will endure but it will be impoverished.

Posted by Nancy D. on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 10:32 AM (EDT):

“Such is the Pope’s decision to “make a mess” in the belief that a greater unifying good will emerge.”

The division is between those who are for Christ and those who are anti-Christ. No unifying Good can come from that which is anti Christ.

Division and confusion is not of The Holy Ghost; division and confusion comes from that which is anti-Christ. It Is Through, With, and In Christ, In The Unity of The Holy Ghost (Filioque), that Holy Mother Church exists.

Posted by Shawn Marshall on Sunday, Feb, 25, 2018 9:26 AM (EDT):

Everyone should read Fr. Weinandy’s account of the miraculous event which confirmed him to send the letter to PF which got him fired by those courageous defenders of the faith at USCCB,

Posted by Chuck on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 7:48 PM (EDT):

Leftist Loons have infiltrated and corrupted all that is good and Holy.

Posted by Ranger01 on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 7:20 PM (EDT):

Thank you Father Weinandy. You are clear and precise and for that I am most grateful.

Posted by Fr Peter Morello on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 7:04 PM (EDT):

Fr Weinandy OFM Cap with Bishop Athanasius Schneider Astana Kazakhstan are the two strongest, coherent critics of Pope Francis. Weinandy’s critique of the Pontiff is devastatingly accurate and fearful. Particularly on the injury to the 4 marks of the Church. We are no longer one both in belief and in unity. We are systematically being dismembered. Not by stupidity but by clever manipulation. Diabolic has its root in the Gk word Diaballein, to cast apart; to throw apart, or to scatter. We must be realistic regarding what it is we’re contending with. Nothing in Church history can compare. Whatever the exact nature of our dilemma Fr Weinandy is correct that anger and protest is not a solution. An honest reappraisal of our priestly ministry is a first step for those with orders. To preach Christ and Apostolic Tradition in Season and out of Season. The most effective spiritual response is renewed commitment to Christ, humility, prayer, self sacrifice, devotion to Mary. Rather than attack those who defend the New Paradigm expose its inconsistency with Christ’s revelation. Provide intelligent response with purpose of conciliation.

Posted by Will on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 6:52 PM (EDT):

Oh, how I wish the Holy Father and those with whom he surrounds himself could be this insightful, clear, and ordered toward the truth. Thank you, Father Weinandy, for a brilliant analysis and exhortation. You show that there’s still hope.

Thank you, too, Mr. Pentin, for another excellent report.

Posted by BrianA_MN on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 6:52 PM (EDT):

Really, another article about division in the Church. When will these articles end and the Register stop publishing them? These articles do nothing but water the seed of scandal. The Church Magisterium has always been forward thinking about debate and rigor of faith. Faith and reason are still the foundation of the continuity of the Church. Reason is used throughout the BIBLE and in the Catechism for proving the divinity of Christ. What amount can’t be reasoned is then by faith believed and trusted. Faith is trust in and fear of the Lord. History clearly has documented some acts of previous pontiffs to be scandalous, but never on faith and morals. Each pontificate will have a different focus. Pope Francis focus is pastoral more than theological, yet he is accused of changing our Catholicity. But he has not changed a single iota of the catechism. He has removed the soldier at the door who some want to only let in the most holy, which means even they cannot be allowed to proceed. Instead Pope Francis has allowed the wounded, those needing more pastoral guidance, and community support to enter the doors of our buildings in order for them to learn the truth of our Christian faith. The belief in Jesus as the second person of God, begotten not made, who was born of the virgin Mary, suffered and died for our sins, and rose again to ascend into heaven and sit at the right hand of God, whence he will come again to judge the living and the dean. This is the message all people need to hear. Let us not forget that the greatest evangelist, Paul, said he became all things to all people so that they might hear the Word, repent and be saved. Since so many in the world have yet to hear the truth of the Word, the primary evangelist of our day, Pope Francis, should be imitating Christ and sitting down with woman at the well to bring the Good News to all. This article is more scandal than aid in helping Christ message of love reach all the souls that Christ commissioned all His apostles, through perpetuity, to do, Go, make disciples of all men. Thank you Holy Spirit for your guidance and love. Amen

Posted by Henry on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 5:50 PM (EDT):

We pray, we trust the Holy Spirit and we plea with the Pope to clarify things for the Body of Christ. As Archbishop Chaput says, “We need faith and reason, not a new paradigm!”

Posted by Peter Aiello on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 5:25 PM (EDT):

If we go back to our Biblical roots we will see a Christianity that is quite different from modern Catholicism. Saint Paul, in 2Corinthians 1:24 says: “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand”; and 1Peter 5:3 says to the elders: “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock”. These verses seem to have a different tone than what we have today. Back then, the main authority was Christ Himself.

Posted by Janet on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 4:44 PM (EDT):

Thank you, Edward Pentin, for writing about Father Weinandy. It would be beautiful if Father were able to speak at every Church in the United States.

Posted by Vic on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 4:32 PM (EDT):

Wow! Weinandy has just put into theological terms what my feelings and thoughts have been. Good job!

Posted by Todd Flowerday on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 3:36 PM (EDT):

A divorced and remarried person going to Communion may have a declaration of nullity. Or not. A gossip may take note and know for sure. Or not. It would seem the scandal involves a person, perhaps even well-meaning, who has cast a gaze too deeply into the life of another. What the person thinks she or he sees is not a matter of scandal, but of misplaced investigative reporting. We may well ask: is that holy?

Elsewhere in the Church, we have bishops who have knowingly mismanaged sexual predators and attacked victims. Mr Pentin notes, “Father Weinandy pointed to the scandal caused by allowing persons in unrepentant manifest grave sin to receive the Eucharist. Not only does it dismay the faithful…”

How often have we seen darkness and shadows amongst our bishops, even ones well-touted as being faithful and holy, who have gravely mismanaged predators as they attacked survivors of abuse? Perhaps we should leave the determination of our four qualities to others, and focus more on the mission handed on to us by the Lord Jesus—evangelization.

Posted by Nicolas Bellord on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 2:43 PM (EDT):

I have tried to keep an open mind on all these issues wondering whether I have got it right and trying to see whether I have completely misunderstood the situation as I have no formal theological training and thinking perhaps Pope Francis is getting it right. However in the last few days I have read Cardinal Mueller saying that the so-called paradigm shift is just corruption and then Father Weinandy’s comprehensive analysis of the situation. I do not think I need to look further than these two most eminent theologians in order to cast aside any doubts I have had that this papacy is seriously adrift.

Posted by Aaron on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 2:27 PM (EDT):

I support Fr. Weinandy’s statements but he’s a little late to the table all these things have already happened. There is at the point I am afraid, nothing left to do but let the outward parts of the Church fall apart and then be regathered together back among the core faithful. The Church sadly has become a gnostic institution where the real Church is hidden inside of the apparent church. In her present state, the apparent Church is already incapable of evangelizing because she is more interested in standing in solidarity with Lutherns and Muslims than the faithful.

Posted by EMMETT on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 1:24 PM (EDT):

We must all unite behind the truth, thank you Fr. Weinandy for defending the “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.”

Posted by Jimmick on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 11:24 AM (EDT):

Wow!
So much verbiage dedicated to the idea of unity, wih the bishop and ultimately the Pope, so that he can disagree with the Pope, and encourage others to disagree!
If really wants to respond in a “robustly positive” way to Pope Francis, let him affirm what the Pope has said. Don’t try and set up some separate locus of unity in his personal understanding of the Catholic faith; the Pope is the sign of our unity. Have faith that God guides the Church even if Weinandy does not understand how.
But there is also “a more excellent way.” When St Paul talked about receiving the Eucharist improperly, he immediately began to speak about the many differences within the Church, the many charisms that work together like the parts of the body, so different and yet each neccessary Faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love. Or, as Pope Francis calls it, Mercy.

Posted by bill bannon on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 11:19 AM (EDT):

Actually it’s worse than Father’s scenario. He’s protecting too much the two prior Popes…the first of whom was so confusing on wifely obedience in 2 documents that the catechism makes no mention of it in an age of divorce even though the NT mentions it 6 times.
For the real deal you have to go back to Casti Connubii in 1930…prior to the age of Catholic divorce ( see section 74). By their avoidance of Romans 13:4 on the death penalty,the two previous Popes taught this present Pope that you could change Tradition by using a pastoral approach that sees modernity as different…modern prisons are alledgedly perfect….as though you could escape easily from Roman life sentences in the mines when Romans 13:4 was written. What both totally missed is that the two largest Catholic populations….Brazil and Mexico need the death penalty badly as does Central America….and they all have porous prisons and no working death penalty. East Asia, death penalty dominant, is roughly 23 times safer from murder than Catholc, northern Latin America…virtually all non death penalty for civilian murder. Catholicism’s weakest intellectual failing is this protection of loved Popes becase they gave you something you wanted…Benedict gave us the Latin Mass affirmation and John Paul II gave us usually conservative documents….until wifely obedience and death penalty over simplfication came from the latter and the former, Benedict, was the first Pope in history to undermine Scripture’s position that God ordered the major massacres of the Old Testament…see Verbum Domini section 42. Read it thrice. He states that however despite the immorality of such things as massacres…” the prophets challenged…all forms..of violence…individual and communal”.
Apparently Benedict missed that Elijah killed 452 Baal worshippers and Eliseus was mandated by God to slay any of the house of Ahab who escaped Jehu’s sword. The prophet Samuel “hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal” because Saul failed to as ordered by God. And Jeremiah told the Chaldeans that God ordered them to slay the Moabites in Jer. 48:10…” A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the Lord’s work! A curse on anyone who keeps their sword from bloodshed!”

Posted by Maria Maier on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 9:33 AM (EDT):

Did Jesus come to be part of the world system? No. He came from heaven. Was He supposed to conquer the world system at that time? No, not yet. The Father is patient and loving, and wants to give time for the work of His Church through His Spirit that resides in us. So did He come to bring peace to the world? He came to represent something in opposition to the world. That is why He said “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Such is the Pope’s decision to “make a mess” in the belief that a greater unifying good will emerge.

Posted by Maria on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 9:27 AM (EDT):

Did Jesus come to be part of the world system? No. He came from heaven. Was He supposed to conquer the world system at that time? No, not yet. The Father is patient and loving, and wants to give time for the work of His Church through His Spirit that resides in us. So did He come to bring peace to the world? He came to repreent something in opposition to the world. That is why He said “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Such is the Pope’s decision to “make a mess” in the belief that a greater unifying good will emerge.

Posted by bumble bee on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 8:52 AM (EDT):

The RCC has been neglecting it’s own faithful by concentrating on worldly issues. This is not to imply that challenging wrongs done in the world that are contrary to the faith are unnecessary , but they have neglected taking care of their own business. That being the abuse crisis that continues, social justice has turned into the faith rather than being faithful and faith filled first, corruption at all levels. Then we have social media which allows any half baked thought to be put forth as truths/facts about the faith and what it means to be faithful Christians. The church is top heavy with priests doing other things rather than offer Mass, and be with the faithful. They all cry out that there is a priest shortage. Well if someone is a priest, then parishes should come first and bureaucracy and the such should be last. They need to stop striving for power large and small, and get back to preaching the faith and doing what they were vowed to do, preaching the Good News.

Posted by Nancy D. on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 2:44 AM (EDT):

With thanks and gratitude for your courageous act. Godspeed!

Posted by Charles E Flynn on Saturday, Feb, 24, 2018 12:00 AM (EDT):

And so another servant of Christ who is not merely an ordained bureaucrat joins the rarified ranks of the deeply unconfused.

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Edward Pentin began reporting on the Pope and the Vatican with Vatican Radio before moving on to become the Rome correspondent for the National Catholic Register. He has also reported on the Holy See and the Catholic Church for a number of other publications including Newsweek, Newsmax,Zenit, The Catholic Herald, and The Holy Land Review, a Franciscan publication specializing in the Church and the Middle East. Edward is the author of “The Rigging of a Vatican Synod? An Investigation into Alleged Manipulation at the Extraordinary Synod on the Family”, published by Ignatius Press. Follow him on Twitter @edwardpentin